Astrantia plant named ‘Capri’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Astrantia  plant named ‘Capri’, characterized by its upright plant habit with long flowering stems; freely-branching habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively large flowers with showy involucral bracts that are red purple in color; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Astrantia major.

Cultivar denomination: ‘CAPRI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Astrantia plant, botanically known as Astrantia major and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Capri’.

The new Astrantia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely branching Astrantia plants with large and attractive flowers.

The new Astrantia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Astrantia major ‘Midnight Owl’, not patented. The new Astrantia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Midnight Owl’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Astrantia plant by tissue culture in Rijswijk, The Netherlands since February, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Astrantia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Astrantia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Capri’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Capri’ as a new and distinct Astrantia plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit with long flowering stems.     -   2. Freely-branching habit.     -   3. Freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period.     -   4. Relatively large flowers with showy involucral bracts that         are red purple in color.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Astrantia differ from plants of the parent, ‘Midnight Owl’, primarily in the involucral bract color as plants of ‘Midnight Owl’ have flowers with darker red purple-colored involucral bracts.

Plants of the new Astrantia can be compared to plants of Astrantia major ‘Roma’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,470. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Astrantia differ primarily from plants of ‘Roma’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astrantia have larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘Roma’.     -   2. Plants of the new Astrantia have larger flowers than plants         of ‘Roma’.     -   3. Plants of the new Astrantia and ‘Roma’ differ in involucral         bract color as plants of ‘Roma’ have flowers with white to light         pink-colored involucral bracts.

Plants of the new Astrantia can be compared to plants of Astrantia major ‘Venice’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,420. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Astrantia differ primarily from plants of ‘Venice’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astrantia have larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘Venice’.     -   2. Plants of the new Astrantia and ‘Venice’ differ in involucral         bract color as plants of ‘Venice’ have flowers with darker red         purple-colored involucral bracts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Astrantia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Astrantia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Capri’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical basal leaf of ‘Capri’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typical flowering stems of ‘Capri’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and the following description were grown during the summer and early autumn in an outdoor nursery in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Astrantia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 26° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 16° C. Plants were 18 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Astrantia major ‘Capri’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Astrantia     major ‘Midnight Owl’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten weeks at air             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About eight             months at air temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically coppery brown in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright perennial flowering plant             with basal rosette of leaves; overall plant shape is a             narrow inverted triangle; numerous erect basal peduncles             support umbels of flowers held well above the foliar plane;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About             62.8 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 42.3 cm.         -   Flowering stem description.—Arrangement: Branching mostly             basal; freely branching, numerous flowering stems developing             per plant during the growing season. Length: About 60 cm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 15.8 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to 30° from vertical.             Texture: Axially ribbed, glabrous. Luster: Moderately             glossy. Color: Close to between 143A and 146A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length, basal leaves.—About 8.3 cm.         -   Length, stem leaves.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Width, basal leaves.—About 10.7 cm.         -   Width, stem leaves.—About 7.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Palmately-lobed; lobes slightly carinate and slightly             curved.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Hastate.         -   Margin.—Biserrate; teeth are mucronate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly rugose,             glabrous.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A;             venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to between 137C and 143A; venation, close to             144B.         -   Petiole length, basal leaves.—About 15.5 cm.         -   Petiole length, stem leaves.—About 4.1 cm.         -   Petiole diameter, basal leaves.—About 2.5 mm to 3 mm.         -   Petiole diameter, stem leaves.—About 7 mm.         -   Petiole color, basal leaves, upper and lower surfaces.—Close             to between 144A and 146A.         -   Petiole color, stem leaves, upper and lower surfaces.—Close             to 143B and 144B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Numerous, single, minute             campanulate flowers subtended by showy involucral bracts;             flowers arrange in compound umbels; flowers face mostly             upright to somewhat outwardly; freely flowering habit with             typically about 80 flowers developing per umbel, about 18             inflorescences per compound umbel, and about 5,500 flowers             developing per plant during the flowering season.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering season, flowering             continuous from late spring to late summer in The             Netherlands; plants begin flowering about nine months after             planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About twelve days; flowers             not persistent.         -   Flower longevity as a cut flower.—About ten days; flowers             not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Moderate; not pleasant.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Obovate with flattened apex. Color: Close to 64B;             towards the base, close to 143B and 147A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3 mm to 9 mm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About             3 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly elliptic;             recurved. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Matte. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 64A; towards the base and apex,             close to N155A. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 64A; towards the base and apex, close to N155A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About             2 mm. Width: About 0.8 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex:             Narrowly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 146A;             towards the apex, close to 71A.

When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 146A; towards the apex, close to 71B to 71C.

-   -   -   Involucral bracts.—Arrangement: About 18 in a single whorl.             Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 60C; towards the apex,             close to N186C to darker than N186C. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 60C; venation, close to 147A             to darker than 147A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.4 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Primary umbels, upright; secondary             umbels, about 30° from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to between 143A and 146A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6 mm to 9 mm. Diameter: About             0.2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Center flowers, upright;             outer flowers, about 80° from vertical. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 64D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 64A;             towards the base, fading to close to NN155B. Anther shape:             Double reniform. Anther length: About 0.8 mm. Anther color:             Close to 154D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to             156D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Two. Pistil length:             About 3.75 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color:             Close to 64A. Style length: About 3.5 mm. Style color: Close             to 64A; towards the base, fading to close to NN155B. Ovary             color: Close to 143A; ribs, close to 157B to 157C strongly             tinged with close to 70A to 70B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Astrantia.

-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Astrantia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Astrantia     plants.

-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Astrantia have exhibited good     tolerance to rain, wind and high temperatures about 30° C. and to be     hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 6. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Astrantia plant named ‘Capri’ as illustrated and described. 